Personal Narrative: Rita's Putty Army

My obsession with martial arts begins at a young age. Like every other kid growing up, Saturday mornings were my favorite. I remember waking up, jumping out of bed, and sprinting to the kitchen like an Olympic track star trying to beat his personal bests just so I could grab an enormous bowl of Lucky Charms and plant my butt on the couch to watch Power Rangers. I may as well have had roots growing out of my butt because I was not going to move from that couch until my show was over. I was always intrigued with how the colorful heroes could effortlessly take down the never-ending hordes of “Rita’s putty army”. An obsession grew in me, an obsession with how fluidly they moved, how they could exterminate 4 or 5 enemies with a flurry of punches and kicks, and how fearless they were when confronted by the forces of evil. I wanted that fearlessness, that confidence that my colorful protagonist presented, I wanted to be able to turn my body into a living weapon and take on any threat that presented itself.

How could someone achieve this level greatness? How could one learn to strike with the force of a mighty lion and have the speed of a cunning snake? What exactly does it take to be an amazing martial artist? Why do people pursue martial arts and what benefits are gained? To had better understand these questions, I will be examining the martial art of Muay Thai. I will be examining this fighting style because of the rigorous amounts of physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines that are needed to master this form of